


A Saturday Job

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Thursday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26048596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: When he first went to Rainier, Blair decided to get a Saturday job
Relationships: Blair Sandburg & Other(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	A Saturday Job

**Author's Note:**

> Writter for the Sentinel Thursday prompt 'bind'

A Saturday Job

by Bluewolf

Although Naomi often took Blair with her when she travelled, his home while he was growing up was with his Uncle David, Naomi's oldest brother, in Fort Worth.

Blair knew, from the time he was twelve, that he wanted to go to university and study anthropology, and so he began checking what the different universities had to offer in that field. By his fifteenth birthday, he had decided that Rainier University in Cascade was the one he wanted to attend; he applied to it and was accepted, even though he would just be sixteen when he began his career there; the Rainier authorities looked at the level of his school grades and decided that they didn't want anyone getting the grades he did at fourteen and fifteen bypassing them for a different university.

Naomi paused briefly in her perpetual wandering to rent a house in Cascade and settled there for a few months, giving Blair a taste of life in Cascade, letting him get to know the place, although as an out-of-town student (quite apart from his age) he would be in student accommodation.

It was decided that Uncle David would pay Blair's university fees. And Naomi gave him a small allowance, paid direct into one of Cascade's banks.

During the time Blair lived in Cascade with his mother, he looked around the various shops, knowing that it would make sense for him to get a Saturday job, trying to decide which shop would suit him best.

He finally settled on a bookshop he had started patronizing, and went in three weeks before term started to apply for a job there.

The owner grinned at him. "Hello, Blair. Looking for anything special today?"

"Well, in a way. You know I'm starting at Rainier in three weeks, and, well... I was wondering if you could give me a job on Saturdays. Anything - unpacking boxes, even sweeping the floors and dusting the shelves."

Harve Dobson looked thoughtfully at him. "As it happens, I could use a Saturday worker. I know you've seen for yourself how untidy some people leave the shelves; I've noticed you putting some books back where they should be, more than once - something I don't always have time to do. But as well as that, you know I do a bit of book binding. Mostly to tidy the covers of some of the old books that I buy for the used book section."

Blair nodded.

"I could do with a little help there - I do most of that work myself on the weekends, and it wouldn't be every week, because the number of books needing work done is very variable, but sometimes a few come in at the same time, and I'd like the work on them done as quickly as possible. It would mean working the odd Sunday as well - "

"Anything," Blair said. He grinned. "I know that at my age I can forget about socializing with the other students - one of the reasons I'm looking for a Saturday job; doing something on Sundays as well would be a bonus."

"I can't afford to pay you more than minimum wage," Dobson went on.

"That's generous," Blair said. "I didn't expect as much as that at my age."

And so, the following weekend, Blair started working in Dobson's Book Store on Saturdays and in the book binding basement at least one Sunday a month. And when he needed to buy books for his university work, he was able to buy them for cost from Harve Dobson.

He was able to save his entire allowance from Naomi, as well as part of his wages; when he finally finished at University, he would have a nice little nest egg to lean on... as well as a knowledge of how to bind books. It mightn't be of much value to him as an anthropologist - but like the welding he had learned over two summers working with 'Uncle' Charles - he was never quite sure what the exact relationship was, but Naomi, who was perfectly happy for him to call her by name, insisted that he call the man 'Uncle' - it was something to fall back on if necessary.

And then, when he had his Masters, he was given the opportunity to work at Rainier as a TA.

When he considered what would be involved as a TA, he went to Harve Dobson and - reluctantly - gave up his work in the bookstore.

"I was expecting that," his boss said. "But Blair - if you ever have a major problem and need a job - feel free to come to me."

Blair smiled his thanks. "I hope I won't need to take you up on that," he said, "but I do appreciate the offer. And if you have a major problem any time, feel free to call on me. If my work here means I don't have time to help, I can at least send you a reliable student to give you a hand."

Three years later, Harve Dobson retired, and sold the shop. He and Blair had a meal together to say goodbye - Harve was moving to live near his nephew in Portland - and then Blair settled down to a life that involved only anthropology.

Until just on three years later, when he met Jim Ellison...


End file.
